Sunday, August 1, 2010

The Isles' new-look defense had another member added to its ranks, as yesterday they traded a third-round pick in 2011 to Anaheim for (get this) just-signed defenseman James Wisniewski. Wiz was second in scoring among Ducks blueliners last season with 30 points in 69 games, and while his size- andhis reputation for cheap shots- might hurt his appeal with some fans, his toughness is certainly not to be questioned.

This is a win for both teams. The Ducks, having just signed Wisniewski to a one-year contract to avoid arbitration, unload some cap room to sign forward Bobby Ryan, while the Islanders get a solid blueliner and the means to reach the cap floor. It will definitely be interesting to see how he fares on the Island this season.